Social workers are being sought out more often to treat traumatized individuals. In turn, social workers are at risk of vicarious traumatization. Vicarious trauma is a form of indirect trauma that may occur by working with traumatized clients. Master of Social Work (MSW) students should be educated on vicarious trauma as they will have many responsibilities when they begin their work in the field; including treating traumatized individuals. Education on vicarious trauma could lessen the risks of experiencing the pathology. The purpose of this study is to explore the perception of vicarious trauma among MSW students. Sixty-seven students from the MSW program at California State University, San Bernardino participated in this study and completed the Vicarious Trauma Questionnaire (VTQ). The study showed that on average the students scored moderate to low on each category of the questionnaire. Suggestions for future research and the social work curriculum are discussed in this project.

Vicarious trauma impacts counselors in various ways: by diminishing their feelings of importance in the profession, hindering their completion of adequate work with clients, and negatively affecting their personal life choices. Although numerous qualitative and quantitative studies have been conducted on vicarious trauma over the past 20 years, there is a rarity of research investigating the implications of trauma for counseling supervisors. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences and perceptions of tertiary trauma among 11 counselor supervisors from Oklahoma and Missouri who were providing active supervision. This study was approached through a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. The overarching research question investigated how counseling supervisors defined tertiary trauma. Interviews were transcribed and uploaded into NVivo 10, and constructs were identified via an exploratory and inductive analysis. Codes and sub-themes were categorized then deductively divided into 6 primary themes that demonstrate participant perceptions of tertiary trauma. These themes included: (a) what it means to be a supervisor, (b) the understanding of vicarious trauma, (c) the base knowledge of tertiary trauma, (d) the symptoms of tertiary trauma, (e) the meaning of supervisor wellness, and (c), the and role of the supervisor. Findings from the study offer the counseling profession a working definition of tertiary trauma based in counseling supervisors' perception of the phenomenon. The study outcomes are unique because counseling supervisors are vital to the continued growth of both the profession and new counseling professionals, acting as gate keepers to the counseling profession.

Vicarious trauma poses a risk factor for clinicians. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to examine the individual and organizational resources used by counselors who have self-reported vicarious trauma and have continue practicing their profession effectively. Two theories that comprised the framework of this study were: the social cognitive theory and the constructivist self-development theory. The sample consisted of 10 counselors who self-reported vicarious trauma. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, observations, and then were analyzed using thematic analysis. NVivo software was utilized to come up with distinct similarities in each of the participants. These similarities were then further analyzed to reveal concrete coping strategies that helping professionals can utilize to prevent the effects of vicarious trauma. The top coping skills were discovered to be as follows: effective transition time, spiritual practices, psychological preparedness, wellness, and self-control. Furthermore, organizational skills were also examined to see the effects the organization had on vicarious trauma. The leading organizational coping skills that were acknowledged were: co-workers and supervisor involvement, self-care evenings, weekly wellness meetings, and consultation groups. This study will provide positive social change implications by enabling present and future mental health professionals to gain insight into the coping strategies used to manage vicarious trauma successfully.

The critical outcome of education is learning or competency development and the application of new knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of settings. This study identified and analyzed Texas A&M University students regarding interaction between learner and other learners, the instructor, the content, and the technology. In addition, satisfaction, quality, and learning are also examined. The population for this study is students at Texas A&M University. Inferences to other similar populations should be handled with caution as other organizations may differ greatly from this one. Data was collected using a web-formatted survey (see Appendix A) delivered to the learners using the Internet. An analysis of the data was then conducted as described below using SPSS 18. Potential participants were given the web address and entered their assigned number to confirm consent. Non-response was handled by sending reminders electronically at random intervals. It may be concluded from the data that the most import interactions are between the learner and the content and between the learners themselves. Despite significant single order correlation between enhancing interaction and learner to learner, learner to instructor, learner to content, and learner to technology our regression modeling shows the most effective way to predict learning and satisfaction is through student to content interaction. We see the most effective way to predict quality is through student to student interactions. We found no interaction effect between student to instructor interaction and increased learning, quality, or satisfaction. We found no interaction effect between student to technology interaction and increased learning, quality, and satisfaction. It is our recommendation that in order to achieve increased perceptions of satisfaction, quality, and learning, opportunities for interactions between the learner and the content should be provided. Utilizing and evaluating the technologies of online exercises, online instructional materials, online support materials, and interactive video is a great place to start. Instructors should consider evaluating these and other technologies to insure purposeful use of technologies and appropriateness.

Several studies have suggested that compassion satisfaction (CS) promotes counsellor wellness through its mitigating effects on compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious traumatization. CS also contributes to career longevity and to a sense of fulfillment, balance, and wellness that extends from counsellors’ professional to personal lives. Yet, to date, very little research has been done using counsellor wellness or CS as a primary focus. While the literature on CS is relatively new, even less attention appears to have been paid to what experienced counsellors actively do to maintain CS and therefore, their wellness as counsellors. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature on counsellor CS by asking experienced counsellors how they actively maintain CS in their work. Participants (N = 6) were counsellors in the Victoria area who had worked in the field for at least 10 years, had a minimum of a Masters degree, and who were experiencing CS at the time of data collection. A social constructivist perspective was used to frame the study, and narrative interviews were used to collect the counsellors’ stories of how they had maintained CS throughout their careers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and 6 themes are reported. Findings suggest that counsellors can actively increase their likelihood of maintaining CS by: (a) maintaining boundaries; (b) practicing self-care; (c) cultivating self-awareness; (d) developing positive, fulfilling relationships; (e) engaging in ongoing learning; and (f) embracing variety. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for counsellor training programs, the personal and professional lives and retention of counsellors already in the field, directors of counselling agencies, and client care. / Graduate / 0621 / 0622 / 0519 / 0769 / 0569 / alexsterling7@gmail.com

Several studies have suggested that compassion satisfaction (CS) promotes counsellor wellness through its mitigating effects on compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious traumatization. CS also contributes to career longevity and to a sense of fulfillment, balance, and wellness that extends from counsellors’ professional to personal lives. Yet, to date, very little research has been done using counsellor wellness or CS as a primary focus. While the literature on CS is relatively new, even less attention appears to have been paid to what experienced counsellors actively do to maintain CS and therefore, their wellness as counsellors. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature on counsellor CS by asking experienced counsellors how they actively maintain CS in their work. Participants (N = 6) were counsellors in the Victoria area who had worked in the field for at least 10 years, had a minimum of a Masters degree, and who were experiencing CS at the time of data collection. A social constructivist perspective was used to frame the study, and narrative interviews were used to collect the counsellors’ stories of how they had maintained CS throughout their careers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and 6 themes are reported. Findings suggest that counsellors can actively increase their likelihood of maintaining CS by: (a) maintaining boundaries; (b) practicing self-care; (c) cultivating self-awareness; (d) developing positive, fulfilling relationships; (e) engaging in ongoing learning; and (f) embracing variety. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for counsellor training programs, the personal and professional lives and retention of counsellors already in the field, directors of counselling agencies, and client care. / Graduate / 2015-04-23 / 0621 / 0622 / 0519 / 0769 / 0569 / alexsterling7@gmail.com

Background: There is an emerging literature suggesting that clinicians can go through a process of personal change when engaging in psychotherapeutic work with trauma survivors, which parallels that experienced by clients themselves. The current evidence regarding the relationship between engaging in psychological therapy and compassion satisfaction, vicarious post-traumatic growth and vicarious resilience is inconclusive. A number of methodological weaknesses in the existing literature were identified. The review highlights the need for future research to examine the contextual, demographic and psychological factors which allow therapists to experience positive psychological outcomes from their trauma work. Objective: This study aims to explore vicarious post-traumatic changes in clinicians who work with adult survivors of complex trauma and the role of organisational factors in these changes. Method: Grounded theory methodology was used to analyse interview data with twelve participants (nine female and three male), all of whom had high complex trauma caseloads. Results: The study generated a theory proposing that undertaking trauma work involves the interplay between numerous challenges pertaining to clinicians’ expectations of themselves, therapeutic challenges and organisational neglect. Engaging in trauma work with clients leads to psychological and emotional changes in therapists. A lack of organisational support further contributes to such changes, leaving clinicians feeling isolated and overwhelmed. In order to cope with these challenges, clinicians develop coping mechanisms in the form of emotional detachment and accessing external supports. Alongside this, clinicians identify positive effects of trauma work arising from the therapeutic relationship. These positive outcomes appear to mediate the more negative effects of trauma work, relating to psychoemotional changes and lack of organisational support. Conclusion: These findings suggest a need for a greater understanding of the degree of reciprocity between clients, clinicians and services and the provision of trauma-informed services both for clients and clinicians.

Multiple research studies have suggested that African American parents transmit a variety of socialization messages, including preparation for bias and egalitarianism (Hughes et al., 2006; White-Johnson et al., 2010). In response to specific race-related events, such as police involved shooting deaths of African Americans since 2012, scholars have begun to expand racial socialization research to explore the influence of racial events on African American parenting. However, there is little research that examines the impact of repeated witnessing of vicarious instances of police brutality, shootings, and killings of African Americans at the hands of law enforcement on parent racial socialization practices. The goals of the current study were to explore racial socialization practices of African American parents within the context of current events about police brutality and shootings of African Americans by police. Qualitative analysis of interviews with sixteen African American parents provided insight into relationships between parents’ experiences with and beliefs about police, socialization practices, and demonstrations of vicarious trauma symptoms. Grounded theory methodology was used to analyze the data using: a) open-coding; b) axial coding; and c) selective coding (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Results of the analysis revealed four categories at the axial level comprised of 17 subcategories at the open-coding level. Conclusions drawn from the grounded theory model that was derived in this study suggest that all parents who were studied socialized their children about race and police involved killings of African Americans based on their own experiences with and beliefs about police. Parents were collapsed into categories reflecting their experiences: a) parents who have had negative experiences with police but keep their children engaged in positive behaviors to eliminate police encounters; b) parents who have had positive experiences with police and do not want their young children to have negative biases toward members of law enforcement; c) parents who are fearful and mistrustful of police, despite having mixed personal experiences with them, and want their children to be prepared for possible encounters with police; d) parents who have had mixed personal experiences with police but want their children to have a balanced perspective of officers; and e) parents who have had positive personal experiences with police, keep their children engaged in positive behaviors to eliminate police encounters, and want their children to be prepared to successfully navigate possible encounters with police. These conclusions have implications for African American parents, mental health practitioners, members of law enforcement, and federal and state legislators.

The relationship between perceived leader behavior and work group behavior was examined. Archival survey data was used in the analyses. The company that developed the survey randomly selected 595 employees to complete the survey. Results suggest there is a strong and significant relationship between leader and subordinate behavior. Group members who report that their leader demonstrates a particular behavior also report that their work group demonstrates the same or similar behavior, suggesting that subordinates may be modeling the behavior of their leader. Leadership behaviors related to trust, availability, respect, conflict, and support seem to be the best predictors of work group behavior. Furthermore, whether or not group members have received team training appears to have an effect on their perceptions of their leader and work group. The challenge for leaders is to understand modeling principles so that they can facilitate the modeling of functional rather than dysfunctional behaviors.

Social workers are susceptible to the potential negative impacts of vicarious trauma. Perspectives of trauma social workers on the responsiveness of rural social work agencies to vicarious trauma have not been explored even though the trauma-informed care model has been available since 2006 and outlines best practice in all settings of trauma social work. Considering the risk factors and negative effects vicarious trauma has on social workers, an increased understanding of the perspectives of social workers on how rural social work agencies are responding to vicarious trauma was needed. The purpose of this study was to explore this response through consideration of the trauma-informed care principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. The guiding research question was, what are the perspectives of social workers on the response of rural social work agencies on vicarious trauma and self-care. For this narrative study, storytelling was used as a way to understand and answer the research question. Data were collected using purposeful sampling from 10 trauma social workers through face-to-face interviews and analyzed using a coding and theming process. Organizational culture was identified as a suppressive force that has the potential to be a source of support to therapists. The findings support the need for change in organizational practice standards and furthers knowledge about the potential effects of vicarious trauma on clients, agencies, and therapists and how to mitigate those effects. The awareness this study provided to organizational leaders and policy makers has the potential to be the catalyst for positive practice and policy change.